Colbert teams up with UFW over immigration

[July 09, 2010]  PHOENIX (AP) -- Stephen Colbert has a new job -- farm worker.

A tongue-in-cheek offer -- maybe.

But the host of Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" teamed up Thursday night with Arturo Rodriguez, the president of the United Farm Workers of America, in a challenge to unemployed Americans: Come on, take our jobs.

The union has been asking Americans to fill out an online form under the banner "I want to be a farm worker" at http://www.takeourjobs.org/.

Rodriguez says that so far just three have responded and were in the fields.

"Make that four," the comedian replied emphatically.

The U.S. Labor Department says more than half of farm workers are illegal immigrants. The UFW argues they're not taking jobs from Americans because most don't want the work.

Proponents of tougher immigration laws respond that the problem with the UFW's proposition is that growers don't want to raise wages and improve working conditions enough to attract Americans.

[Associated Press]

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